Overhead luggage rack



Sept. 14, 1937. ILLMER OVERHEAD LUGGAGE RACK I Fild March 12, 1937 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERHEAD LUGGAGE RACK My improvements are directed to open racks such as are commonly used in railway coaches,

ferry boats or for similar purposes and which elongated racks usually overhang oneside-wall of a 5 passenger car above a row of seatsfor' the temporary storage of hand baggageprpa'ckages carried en route as personal luggage. v 1 7 Conventional racks of this kind generally com- P ise a'series of uniformly spaced brackets re- 1 spectively affording arectilinear bar component that is apertured for the reception of a plurality of continuous rods therethrough to form a stationary skeletonized bed upon which to store lugage without blocking the center aisle of said car. 15 Unobstructed entrance to the passenger seats reires these mated racks to be elevated close to the car ceiling at a height of some six feet above the aisle'level. The inner longitudinal edge of each such inclined rack is ordinarily raised up- 20 wardly at a relatively steep angle to its sustaining side wall as a precaution against having the stored luggage thrown sidewards out of its rack while the train rounds a sharp curve. In the absence of porters or the like helpmates, 25 it proves burdensomefo'r coach'passengers, particularly women travelers, to manipulatively unload heavier luggage out of such deep overhead racks. Because of the relatively high inner rack edge and its considerable setback relative to the 30 aisle space, it becomes arduous to bodily lift lugage over such edge and to dextrously drop the same without striking the heads of passengers seated therebeneath.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate the 35 cited condition by the use of a sh iftable tray or carrier section that normally rests fiatwise upon the rack bed but is equipped with a suitable lever actuated linkage by which the stored luggage may initially be lifted over the raised inner rack 40 edge by conveniently pulling downwardly upon such lever means. At the same time, my loaded tray may be shifted inwardly toward the center car aisle and elevated into a reversely inclined position with respect to its bed. Not only is the 45 luggage placed within more advantageous reach of its owner, but there is less likelihood of inconveniencing or of striking a seat occupant. That is to say, a passenger when called upon to bodily lift a heavy piece of luggage out of a conventional 50 rack, is obliged to work above his head level at a decidedly ineffective purchase, whereas my improved devices readily accomplish such need by a nonfatiguing clown lever pull that aflords adequate leverage with respect to the lifted luggage 55 weight. Having initially elevated and shifted such load within closer reach, it can be handled to far better advantage while. bringing the lugage down to the floor level. My rack is so constructed, that its carrier tray may as a low cost accessory, be incorporated in either new equipment or in railway cars that already have con- I ventional luggage carriers installed therein,

The object of my improvements is to overcome the cited deficiency by providing for a movable carrier tray of the indicated character andone capable of materially facilitating the handling of heavier luggage pieces while being removed from an overhead railway rack.

Reference is had to the accompanying one sheet of drawing which is illustrative of a preferred embodiment, and in which drawing: Fig. 1 is a fragmental cross-sectional view of a rack for a railway coach equipped with my improved carrier tray, said'tray being shown in its extended position.

Fig. 2 represents an assembled top view of such rack tray, and Fig. 3 an end view of my rack assembly as seen along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 but with the carrier shifted into its collapsed or bedded position.

Fig. 4 shows a structural detail as taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, each shiftable tray or carrier section l0 may be hingedly applied to a conventional stationary luggage. rack ll of the kind schematically depicted in Fig. 1. The associated railway coach members may be identified as side wall l2, roof [3, floor level. II, transverse passenger seat 15, center aisle. l6 and platform door I1, all being disposed symmetrically about the vertical center line :c-x.

A stored piece of luggage is designated as l8 or La.

As will be understood, the rack ll may be supported by a series of overhanging brackets that are alignedly strung above the window sash along each side wall l2 in laterally spaced relation, the full length of the vehicle. 7

Each such bracket may comprise a rectilinear bottom bar 2| provided with equally spaced apertures to receive a plurality of continuous solid cross rails 22 therethrough to constitute a skeletonized understructure affording a rack bed that is inclined upwardlyrelative to the wall face as shown in Fig. 3. The overhanging raised or inner longitudinal edge of such stationary bed may be defined by the tubular rail 23 and its corresponding lower or outer edge defined by a similar stiffening rail 24.

Each bracket bar may be reenforced by a tie Strap 25 together with an interconnecting vertical stay 26, which latter element may be apertured and have a supplementary tubular rail 21 extending therethrough. Foot lugs such as 28 serve to fasten said bracket to a side wall. The foregoing understructure substantially describes a conventional car luggage tray now in extensive use.

To equip this style of stationary rack with my improvements as an accessory thereto, one of the intermediate solid rails such as 22 may be replaced by a tubular rock shaft section 38 with its respective ends arranged in the Fig. 4 manner. Opposed side faces of each bottom bracket bar 2| may, have cast thereon or riveted thereto, a flat oval bearing plate 3I, which is apertured to mount the extended shaft trunnion 32 as shown. Each such separate length of the sectlonalized rock shaft 38 may rotate independently of an axially aligned next adjacent section.

Fixedly mounted upon each end of such rock shaft section by the dowel 33, is a centrally fulcrumed tray actuating lever 34 of which one end is provided with a manipulative handle or grip 35 and the other end provided with a similarly overhanging tray pintle 36 to constitute an interposed lifting linkage. In normal bedded or collapsed tray position, said lever preferably lies alongside the bottom bracket bar 2| as indicated in Fig. 3 and as such is purposely confined between the inner rail 23 and the side wall I2 with-- out allowing any lever part to obstructedly pro- Ject from said rail inwardly toward the center aisle I6. A resilient stop block 31 may embrace one of the rack rails to serve as a silencing buffer. A coiled torsion or the like return spring 38 may surround the rock shaft and have one free end inset into the lever hub while the other spring end is fixedly retained by the stationary stanchion 33 which may be mounted upon a contiguous bearing plate 3I. Complementary levers may be reversely mounted within each pair of adjacent brackets and have their respective axially aligned grips 35 directed inwardly toward each other as in Fig. 2. By pulling downwardly upon either handle 35, such complementary levers will be shifted in unison into their dotted operative position designated 36 (see Fig. 3).

For present p ses, a separate carrier tray or section I0 is shiftably mounted upon my rack II between each pair of supporting brackets whereby to bodily lift the luggage storedthereon and bring the same within more convenient reach as in Fig. 1. In collapsed normal tray position, the bottom of the stored luggage I8 is intended to rest upon the interposed inclined tray in the Fig. 3 manner, so as to be secure against inadvertent throw because of car lurch. My skeletonized tray seats fiatwise upon theseveral rack rails 22 and since the latter may extend continuously onward from bracket to bracket, they afford the maximum of luggage support for a given diametral size and in turn reenforce the bedded tray. When the tray is seated, such collapsed rack may also be utilized in a conventional manner without recourse to the tray tilting lever 34.

My carrier tray may assume diverse forms to effect a like result, but it is herein preferred to build up a framework to correspond with the skeletonized rack construction. To this end, said tray comprises a plurality of laterally spaced .transverse strips such as 40 which are each spacedly apertured for the reception of a series of parallel rods 4|, the respective axes of said tray rods being preferably superimposed in a straddling relation to those of the underlying rack rails 22 as detailed in Fig. 3. The respective aisle or inner ends of said strips 40 are shown spanned by an enlarged grip rod 42, and a hookshaped latch 43 serves to obviate inadvertent separation when the tray is collapsed on its rack.

The respective outer or wall ends of these several transverse strips may be bridged by an upright abutment plate 44 of which the respective fore and aft ends may each fixedly mount a bearing prop 45 arranged to receive one of the lever pintles 36. In order to facilitate a bodily inward shift on part of the loadedtray toward the aisle I6, the inner rack rail 23 may be equipped with mated guide rollers 46 preferably located adjacent to the respective bracket of such continuous rail (see Fig. 2).

Since said inner rack 'rail remains fixedly raised with respect to the outer rail 24, this would ordinarily necessitate an inconvenient lifting of the stored luggage I8 to remove the same from such steeply inclined rack. By the use of my lifting linkage, said luggage load may be effectively elevated to or above the level of the upper rail 23 by exerting a downward pull upon either lever grip 35, which at the same time shifts said luggage sidewise or inwardly toward the coach aisle as in Fig. 1. Such a lever manipulation can readily be performed by a comparatively short or feeble person for the reason that the grip 35 affords a considerable leverage about its fulcrum 38, and allows of applying .ones body weight thereto which is far less fatiguing than attempting to skid or bodily lift a heavy piece of luggage I8 over the highest rack rail. The fact that my tiltable tray may readily cover the whole of the available rack surface, permits of a convenient unloading when stacked withluggage to the maximum of its space capacity.

The lever 34 may be proportioned to raise the carrier tray ID to any extent required, but substantial alignment with the bracket tie strap 25 is preferred.- If desired, the tray rods 4| may be provided with rollers to facilitate the removal of the luggage, but this is likely to augment the effect of car lurch. When pulling downwardly on either grip 35 while standing in the car aisle, the final manipulative movement is eased because the lever 34' ultimately assumes a substantially upright position with respect to the fully lifted tray level. The respective return springs 38 are thereby put under increased tension.

A right-handed person may first actuate an appropriate grip 35; after raising the luggage I8 into its elevated Fig. 1 position, the forwardly extended grip rod 42 may be held with the other hand to leave the first used hand free to grasp the luggage handle; then by a dextrous manipulation, the luggage may be removed to the fioor level. After release of the grip rod 42, the associated springs 38 are intended to automatically return the unloaded tray into its seated position against the stop buffer 31. The upright abutment plate 44 prevents pushing the luggage too close toward the car side wall. The latch 43 is automatically disengaged and the tray while being shifted, is pivotally movable around the turning points 38, 38 and the guide roller 46. It will be obvious that an equivalent centralized lever may be substituted for the disclosed dual actuating gear associated with each tray section.

Furthermore, it is not essential that any of the I resulting advantage afl'orded by my rack carrier devices. While 'the' present specification has primarily been directed to the fabrication of a particular type of shiftable tray, this is not intended to imply a corresponding restriction in the wider application of my improvements, it being understood that various changes in such illustrative embodiment may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying structural principle heretofore described and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, the combination of a pair of overhanging brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally spaced relation and which brackets are bridged by a relatively flat stationary rack understructure disposed to incline upwardly away from said wall and terminating in an inner longitudinal rack edge that is higher in elevation than its opposite rack edge located contiguous to said wall, shiftably mounted planiform tray means superimposed and normally resting fiatwise upon said understructure when loaded with luggage, and lifting linkage means including a manipulative lever operatively interposed between the tray means and said understructure and which lever intermediate its-ends is pivoted to the understructure and of which lever one end is pivotally attached to the tray means, the other lever end when manipulated by a downward pull serving to bodily shift said loaded tray means upwardly with respect to the aforesaid opposite rack edge and over the inner rack edge in a direction away from said side wall.

2. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, a pair of brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally spaced relation to extend inwardly therefrom and which brackets are bridged by a stationary rack understructure providing for a rectangular'bed disposed to incline upwardly away from said wall and terminating in an inner longitudinal edge that is higher in elevation than the opposite bed edge, superimposed shiftable tray means normally seating upon said bed in substantial perimetric registry and which tray means has an outer longitudinal side portion located contiguous to said wall, tray pintle means disposed adjacent to the I last named side portion, and a lifting linkage spaced relation to extend inwardly therefrom and which brackets are bridged by rail means to constitute a stationary rack understructure providing for a skeletonized bed disposed to incline upwardly away from said wall and terminating in an inner longitudinal edge that is higher in elevation than the opposite bed edge located contigu ous to said wall, mated rollers mounted adjacent to said inner edge of such bed, superimposed shii'table tray means of rectangular contour having an inner longitudinal side portion carried upon'said rollers, the opposite side portion of said tray being equipped with pintle means," and alever pivoted intermediate its ends to one of said brackets, one such lever end being arrangedto engage the pintle means and the other lever end being provided with manipulative grip means whereby to shift the tray sidewise relative to the inner longitudinal edge of said bed.

4. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, a pair of overhanging brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally to incline upwardly away from said wall and terminating in an inner longitudinal edge that is higher in elevation than the opposite bed edge, superimposed shiftable tray means normally seating upon said bed and which tray means has an outer longitudinal side portion located contiguous to said wall, pintle means for the tray means, a manipulative lever pivoted intermediate its ends to one such bracket, one lever end being arranged to engage said pintle means and which lever serves to raise said outer longitudinal side portion ofi the rack understructure, and resilient means automatically returning the lever to its initial position after said tray has been manually raised.

5.. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, a pair of overhanging brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally spaced relation to extend inwardly therefrom and which brackets are bridged by rail means to constitute a stationary rack understructure providing for a rectangular bed disposed to incline upwardly away from said wall and terminating in an inner longitudinal edge that is higher in elevation than the opposite bed edge, superimposed shiftable tray means normally seating upon said bed and which seated tray has an outer longitudinal side portion contiguous to said wall, pintle means for said tray means located adjacent to the outer longitudinal side portion thereof, a manipulative lifting linkage operatively interposed between the pintle means and the rack arranged to lift a seated tray portion upwardly off its underlying rack, said linkage being wholly confined between said wall and th inner longitudinal rack edge.

6. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, a pair of brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally spaced relation, said brackets each including a substantially rectilinear bar that overhangingly inclines upwardly away from said wall, a plurality-of parallel cross rails spanning said bars to. constitute a skeletonized stationary rack understructure, a shiftable rectangular tray including an outer longitudinal side portion located contiguous to said wall and which tray is normally seated upon and reenforced by-suchunderstructure, and a manipulative lever of which one end is pivotally connected to the tray and which lever intermediate its ends is pivoted to said understructure serving to raise the aforesaid outer tray side portion ofi the understructure to the height of the uppermost cross rail and away from said wall.

7. In an overhead luggage rack for railway cars or the like, a pair of brackets fixedly mounted upon a side wall in laterally spaced relation, said brackets each including a substanv tially rectilinearbar that overhangingly inclines upwardly away from said wall, bearing plate means for each such bar, a rock shaft pivotally suspended between such plates, separate manipulative levers secured to the respective end regions of said rock shaft, .and shiftable tray means interposed between and pivotally connected to the respective levers, either of said edge that is higher in elevation than its opposite bed edge located contiguous to said well, superimposed shiftable tray means normally seating upon said bed in substantial perimetric registry, a manipulative lifting linkage operatively interposed between said tray means and the rack understructure serving to unseat said tray means, and retaining means latching said understructure to the tray means while the latter remains seated,

said means being automatically unlatched by the 10 unseating of said tray means.

LOUIS ELMER. 

